Aeroplane



Munk M i924;- 3,486,388

s. NONAKA AEROPLANE 5 Sheets-Sheel 1 Filed Aug. 16. 1922 Jllllllllll,

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@ai l1 E92@ @A869383 S..NONAKA AEROPLANE Filed Aug. 16. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 TTY.

Patented lll/lar. lll, F924.

NETE@ STld SUETU NONAKA, 0F NAOIRI GUN, @ITA KEN, JAPAN.

AEROPLANE.

Application led August 16, 1922.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, SUn'ro NONAKA, a subject of the Emperor of Japan, residin at No. 186V Takeda Machi, Naoiri Gun, ita Ken, Japan, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.-

rlhis invention relates to improvements 1n aeroplanes whiclrconsist in cuttlng away the rear part of the upper layer of the main wing, piercing the lower layer with a number of slits through which air abovel the said layer is drawn out by the current passing under the machine, providing between the two layers of the wing a number of rectangular, tube-like air passages with a number of slits in their walls, through which tubes the air passing with a great speed, draws out adjacent air by way of ejectors, thus rarifying the air above the lower layer and reducing its pressure thereon; and 1n constructing the wing, and the rudder and elevator, in such a way that part 'of the wing and the rudder and elevator can be expanded into air resisting surfaces 1 n case of necessity so as to retard the ghdmg or falling down of the machine.

Referring to the accompanying drawlngs,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the wing.

Fig. 2 is also a vertical section of the Wing in which parts of the upper and lower layers of the wing are opened to air resisting surfaces.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a hinge on which air resisting surfaces, or turning pieces of the lower layer of the `wing turn and which at the same time prevents leakage of air current. i

Fig. 4 shows a device by which an air resistingsurface of the upper layer of the wing which has been raised t0 present resisting surface to the air, can be dropped backward, when resistance to the air becomes unnecessary.

Fig. 5 is a vertical central sectional view of the wing, illustrating particularly one of the air passages formed therein and its air deilecting member or valve.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View from above of the wing.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section `of spring mechanism, which secures the air resisting plane at its normal position, or when necessary, pushes up its free end.

Fig. 8 is a side view of a revolving rod Serial No. 582,140.

by means of which the air resisting plane is locked at its normal position, and

Fig. 9, a sectional plan view of the same rod seen from below.

Fig. 10 is a vertical section of a modiiication of the wing shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is a side View of tail part of the machine.

Fig. 12 is also a side view of the tail part when elevator planes are opened, up and down.

Fig. 13 is a plan View of the tail part and Fig. 14'is also a plan view of the same in which the rudder and elevator planes are opened to their full capacity, right and left, and up and down.

gig. 15 is a side view of a control lever, an

Fig. 16 is a View of the same seen from the rear.

gig. l17 is a' plan view of control device, an

Fig. 18 is a 'vertical longitudinal section of the whole aeroplane. v 4

To describe my invention more fully with reference to the annexed iigures, a wing is formed with two layers, the upper of which is cut away at its rear part as shown in Fig. 5, and the lower is provided with a number of slits right and left as at (1). Between the two layers of the wing are arranged parallel with one another a number of rectangular air passages (6) each having in its walls slits (7), extending parallel with the front edge ofthe plane throughout the whole breadth of the wing in the direction of the progress of the aeroplane. Fach of the air tubes (6) has near its front end in its upper wall a valve (8), which when required shuts up the air tube (6) and turns the current of air into another passage (6') which becomes connected with the air tube ,(6) when the valve (8) stops the latter.

The rear part of the upper layer of the wing is cut into rectangular Haps (9) hinged at (10), and each of the flaps has rmly xed on its under surface at the free end a ring (11), which is engaged by a pin (12) bent at the end projecting from a revolving rod (19') which has another pin (17) also bent, projecting in the opposite direction and a handle (18) above, and the whole is revolubly mounted on a rod (19). 'llhe fla (9) is lowered to its normal position, an the revclvingrod (19') is turned with the vthe ring handle (18). A stay wire (16) is firmly fixed at its end to the ring (11), passes through a ring (14) and is firmly fixed at its other end to a ring (l5). rfhis stay wire (16) is just long enough to retain the flap (9) at its erect position perpendicular to the plane of the wing. Another wire (20) runs from the pin (17) and is connected with a wire (21) which runs from the left hand control lever (see Fig. 17).

A cylindrical tube (22) contains a spiral spring (23) which pushes upward a kind of piston (24) the rod of which pushes upward the ring (11) against the pin (12), thus making the engagement of the pin (12) with the ring (11) secure; and in case the vpin (12) is disengaged from the ring (11) causing tne revolving rod (19) to turn, the piston (24) pushes the flap (9) upward; and air pressure further raises it to a position perpendicular to the plane of the wing, where the flap (9) will be stopped by the stay wire (16). And when it becomes not necessary to have the flap (9) raised, if the wire (26) fixed to one end of a lever (25) which is pivoted at is pulled, a pin (27) at the other end of the lever (25) will come off from knuckles (28) between which (27) (Fig. 4) and this end of the stay wire (16) being thus freed, the flap (9) will be driven backward by the air down to a position shown in Figure 2 by dotted lines.

The lower layer (100) is also cut into turning pieces (30), turning on an axle (101) which runs right and left through the transverse 'axis of the turning piece. A

' metal plate (102) which holds the axle (101 is firmly fixed to the lower layer (100 and this metal extends over the turning piece (30) a short distance on the rear part of the axle, while a similar ieee (103) fixed to the turning piece exten s over the lower layer of the wing on the front part of the same axle as shown in Fig. y3, thus preventing leakage of air through the cuts on the right and left sides of the turning piece, when the turning piece (30) is in lane with the lower layer of the wing. t uch turning pieces necessarily lie under an air passage (6), and in order that the latter be not in the way when the turning piece (30) is to be raised, the front ed e of the said turning piece (30) is bevelle leaving the lower layer of the wing correspondingly bevelled; and the cuts on both sides of the bevelled portions being prevented from leakage of current in the same manner as two sides of the turning piece by metal plates.

"llhe valve (8) has at its centre an arm (36) which projects perpendicular to the valve and is pulled by a s ring (37), maintaining the valve (8) in lts position forming a part of the upper wall of the air pas- 15) is fastened by the said pin' sage (6 At the free end of this arm (36) a wire 33) is fastened, which through guide pulleys (104) and (105) is fastened at the other end to the front end of the turning piece (30) at (31). The, valve has on its lower surface rear part a concave part (106), from which air is withdrawn by the current which rushes through the passage, and the air pressure on its upper surface pushes it down to its normal position.

On the rear edge of the upper layer (107) of the wing there are hinged at (10) hanging pieces (39), the lower part of which is bent at a right angle toward the front, and to the free end of this hanging piece, a wire (34), which passes over a pulley (108) and another pulley (40), is fastened at the other end to the front edge of the turning piece (30) at (31).

rllhe elevator comprises a pair of planes 41 and 43 which are pivotally connected together and to a collapsible frame 42 by a pivot 109. The planes 41 and 43 arey swung on said pivot by means of a wirey which passes through an opening 45 in each of the planes and is attached to said frame, whereby when the frame is extended as shown in Fig. 14 the lanes are spread, while upon collapsing said frame the planes are brought together with the collapsed frame between them as shown in Fig. 11.

\As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the rudder is of similar construction to the elevator, and comprises a pair of planes 46 and 48, which are connected to a. collapsible frame 47 similar to the frame 42. Each of the planes is provided with an opening 49 through which passes a wire for operating the frame and thereby the planes in the manner above described.

lin Figs. 15 and 16, a steering apparatus is shown, in which (50) is the handle, (51), stem of the lever and (53), an arm extending from the stem, making an angle therewith of about 135. The levers are pivot-edY one on each side of the machine by the pilots seat on a pin (52). These central levers are so constructed that they are pushed, not pulled, when to draw wires fastened to their ends.

A wire (55) which actuates the upper plane (41) of the elevator runs backward from the extremity of the arm (53) of the right hand control lever, runs under a pulley (56) and joins with another wire (58) which runs from the left extremity of a lever (57) and is fastened to the plane (41) at (59) in such a way that the said plane (41) is to be raised to the same angle as an angle to which the stem (51) `of the right control lever is pushed.

A wire (63) by which the upper and lower planes (41) (43) of the elevator andA the right and left planes (46) (48) of the rudder are pulled, is fastened to the left Messes hand control lever (51). llt runs under a pulley corresponding to the pulley (56) on the right side, is tied to the left extremity of the lever (57), runs on further, and is fastened to the plane (43) at (60). A wire (21) is also fastened on its one end to the left control lever, and on its other end joins with the wires (20) and (35) before described.

The lever (57) is pivoted at (64) and freely turns thereon, and a wire (61) which is fastened to the right extremity of the lever (57) runs over a pulley (109), then runs backward, and is tied to both p anes of the rudder at (62).

n aeroplane provided with improvements of my invention is steered, under ordinary circumstances, with ordinary gears not shown in theY accompanying gures, the gear being connected with the central pieces (42) and (47) of the elevator and rudder and the upper plane of the wing being cut away, and the current of air passing through the tubes drawing away adjacent air and the current of air (3) passing under the lower surface of the wing also drawing air from above the lower layer through slits (1), the down pressure of the atmosphere on the machine will be much reduced.

When it lis necessary to raise the head of the machine to a greater an le than usual the right hand control lever 1s pushed, and the wire (55) will pull the upper plane of the elevator and raise the plane to any desired angle. And when it becomes necessary to reduce the speed ahead of the machine, as when gliding on land or the machine falling down with the head first, then the left hand control lever is pushed. Then the wire (21) throu h the wire (20) turns the revolving rod 19'), dis/engaging the pin (12) from the hook (11) and the piston rod (22) pushes up the Hap (9)., when the current (2), drives it to the perpendicular position as shown in Fig. 2. rlhe wire (21) also through-the wire (35) pulls up the front end of the turning piece (30), which in consequence will pull the arm (36) of the valve (8) which thus stops the air passage (6) and delle/cts the current passing through it to the branch tube (6'). The current thus deflected will blow away the hanging piece (39) and the wire (34) fastened thereto will further raise the turning piece nearly erect. rlhe wire (63) pulls the upper and lower planes of the elevator, and the left and right planes of the rudder simultaneously, and opens the former to straight line and the latter to about 90. When all the flaps, turning pieces, elevators and rudders are opened as air resisting surfaces, the speed of the machine gliding or falling will be greatly reduced, thus preventing accidents. And if the machine regains its balance after taking above described measures,

all that is necessary is to pull the wire (26) and let go the control levers. Then the ap (9) will fall backward down to the same plane with the upper layer of the wing; the valve will be restored to its former position by the spring .(37 ),f the turning piece (30) will return to its original position being pulled bythe wire (33) and the planes of the elevator and rudder will be restored to the normal position by air current.

rlhe above is a description of my invention, and l wish it to be understood it may be modified without departinoq from the spirit thereof; for the upper layer of the wing may be made'plane as shown at (107 Fig. 10, instead of a curve (107) as repre-l sented in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 18.

Claims: Y

1. An aeroplane having the rear part of the upper layer of the main wing cut away, rectangularair paages with their walls out with slits and part of their upper walls serving as a valve, arranged parallel between the upper and lower layers, and the lower layer also furnished with slits, all for the purpose of drawing away the air from above the lower layer, thus reducing the downward pressure thereupon, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. An aeroplane having a main wing provided with a plurality of air passages adapted to lproduce a current of air within the wing, a plurality of members pivot/ed in openings in said wing and normally lying in the plane of the wing, and means adapted to be acted upon by the air current produced by said passages to cause saidmembers to swiner to a position approximately perpendicul-ar to said wing.

3. An aeroplane having a main wing provided with a plurality of air passages adapted to produce a current of air within thev wing, a plurality of members ivotedin openings 1n said wing and norma ly lylng 1n the plane of the wing, a swinging member disposed in position to 'be acted upon by said air current, and means connecting said swinging member and pivotedv members whereby when the former is swung by the air current the pivoted members are moved on their pivots into a position approximately perpendicular to the wing.

4. An aeroplane having a wing, a pivoted member normally lying in the plane of said wing, means for retaining said member in said plane, means for releasing said retaining means, means automatically operative upon the release of lthe retaining means for moving said pivoted member into a position at an angle to said wing, means forholding said member against further movement when it has reached a position at right angles to the wing, and means for releasing said last means thereby to permit said pivoted member to fall into a posilll@ tion approximately in alinement With its normal position. l

5. An aeroplane having a wing, a pivoted member normally lying in the plane of said wing, means for retaining said member in said plane, manually operated means for releasing said retaining means, means automatically operative upon the release of the retaining means for moving said pivoted member into a position at an angle to said Wing, means for holding said member against further movement when. it has reached a position at right angles to the Wing, and manually operated means for releasing said last means thereby to permit said pivoted member to fall into a position approximately in alinement With its normal posision.

6. An aeroplane having a wing provided With a plurality of air passages adapted to induce an air current through the Wing, said wing being also provided with auX- fleeting members on their pivots thereby to deflect air from the irst air passages through the auxiliary air passages, a swinging member disposed in position to be acted upon by the air passing through the auxiliary passages, and means connecting said swinging member and pivoted members whereby when the former is swung on its pivot the pivoted members are moved to a position approximately perpendicular to the plane of the Wing.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification.

SUETO NONAKA. 

